Welcome to Rainbow Ridge Opal Mine

owned and operated by the Hodson family since 1949.Your hosts: Glen and Donna Hodson

The Opals

Opals from Virgin Valley are primarily specimen only. They are casts after wood and can appear as limbs twigs or even pinecones. The colors of opal from Virgin Valley can vary widely; from colorless to black. The colors in Virgin Valley opals are world class. To learn more about the type of opal and how its formed, please check out the History page.

The mining

We are open to the public as a fee dig mine each summer from Memorial weekend until mid-September. We offer several ways to experience opal mining in Virgin Valley; tailings digging and virgin ground loads. Check the mining page for current pricing as well as an explanation of the digging options, along with important tips.

Reservations

Services are few and far between in this part of Nevada. Fill up on fuel before leaving either Lakeview or Winnemucca. Check the map link to see where Virgin Valley is. If you would like to plan an opal trip to Virgin Valley this summer, please check the Contact Us page to make a reservation or ask further questions.